The large, ruined hall of the castle with its cracked stone walls and cobwebs hanging like gray curtains from the ceiling, was immersed in the trembling shadows of the faint fireplace light. The smell of decay and burnt wood lingered in the air, and the crackling sparks of the fire broke the silence like the mournful heartbeat. Rio, Nadia, and Ayhan, with faces frozen in shock, stared at Valentina. Her words, introducing herself as the strongest dragon in the world, had echoed in the hall like thunder. None of them could believe they were standing before a living legend.
A heavy suffocating silence filled the space, as if time had stopped in the ruined castle.
But suddenly, Ayhan with a swift movement, took the glass of red drink from Rio's hand and drink it to the last drop. His eyes, full of determination, were fixed on Valentina. He said in a firm tone:
"Almost all the dragons in the world hold special respect for the great Valentina. So much so that, out of respect for her, no one names their children Valentina. There is only one Valentina among the dragons."
Before Ayhan could finish, Nadia interrupted with a loud and excited voice:
"Are you really the great Valentina? If… if that's true, then why did you let that Starman escape? Why did you let him go?"
Valentina, still gently stroking her white wolf, paused for a moment. Her turquoise eyes, shining like ice, fixed on Nadia.
In a calm but heavy voice:
"I didn't even notice his presence."
Then her gaze turned to Rio, who was drowned in silence with a pale face and sunken eyes.
"As I said, you're a smart kid, but you got one thing wrong. Maybe because of me, Valdis let you live."
She pointed to the white wolf beside her.
"But the one who saved you was Frohel. If he hadn't shown up, Valdis would have definitely killed you."
Rio, with a face as if the blood had been drained from it, stared at Valentina in silence. Her tongue was tied, as if words were stuck in her throat. Perhaps it was fear, perhaps caution, or perhaps the heavy burden of pain and memories that still stabbed into her like a dagger. Her eyes, dark and broken, only looked at Valentina, and no one knew what was going through her mind.
Silence reigned for a while until Valentina suddenly turned her head and said to Ayhan:
"Your name was Ayhan, right? Please take Rio back to her room. I need to change her bandages."
Ayhan, sensing the atmosphere was too heavy to continue the discussion, helped Rio and took her arm. Rio, with a weak and trembling body, struggled to stand. Her face drowned in depression, was like a mask of sorrow, and her eyes seemed to have lost their light forever. Ayhan guided her toward the staircase, and the sound of their steps on the cracked stones of the corridor echoed in the castle like a mournful wail.
After Rio left, Valentina sat on the wooden chair by the fireplace and, with a gentle gesture, invited Nadia to sit across from her. Nadia, still unable to believe Valentina's identity, sat cautiously on the chair, her eyes full of doubt and disbelief. Valentina let out a deep sigh and, with a serious face and a determined tone, said:
"It doesn't matter whether you believe what I've said or not. I was only honest with you, just as you were honest with me. Honestly, you handled it better than I expected."
She stared at the flames of the fireplace, as if her answers were hidden in the dance of the fire.
"Most dragons when I tell them who I am, only think about how they can benefit from my existence."
She paused for a moment, immersed in the orange glow of the fire.
Nadia, with a pale face and eyes full of doubt, whispered:
"You're like my father. Or maybe my father is like you. He also has a habit of staring at the fire and searching for his answers."
Valentina gave a warm and kind smile, but Nadia quickly continued:
"I'm sorry. I'm not sure how to deal with this. I don't even have time to think about it. The only thing that matters to me now is getting back to my family. I need to make sure they're safe. I have to go back."
Valentina nodded, as if confirming Nadia's words, but said nothing.
At that moment, upstairs, Ayhan who was holding Rio's arm and helping her climb the stone stairs, suddenly looked at her in surprise.
"Do you think we should have knelt before her?"
Rio remained silent. Her face, growing paler by the moment, was like a stone statue. With a soft voice, as if gathering all her strength:
"Thank you. I'll go the rest of the way myself."
Rio gently pushed Ayhan aside and walked alone toward her room. Ayhan stood in place, surprised, and said loudly:
"Alright then, be careful!"
But Rio, whose steps had now quickened, reached the dark, cobweb-filled corridor. Her face was pale and full of turmoil. Anger, fear, and sorrow swirled in her like a storm. Worry for Adrina, her father, and Elian stabbed into her heart like a dagger, and her severed wrist, still burning like an unquenchable fire, reminded her of the Starman's nightmare.
Upon reaching her room, she slammed the door shut and collapsed on the floor behind it. Her breaths were rapid and ragged, as if air couldn't reach her lungs. She was trapped in a situation and had experienced events that would crush any living being. Rio was lost in her thoughts for a long time until a knock on the door brought her back.
He quickly stood up and opened the door. Valentina was standing there, holding a tray full of supplies: bandages, scissors, and a bottle of alcohol.
She entered the room, closed the door behind her, and went to the bed. She sat on the wooden chair and, with a calm but firm tone, said:
"Hurry up, your wound needs to be tended to."
Rio, now extremely cautious and alert, slowly walked toward Valentina and sat on the bed across from her.
Valentina picked up the scissors and carefully began cutting Rio's bloody bandages. While working:
"I expected any reaction. Enthusiasm, happiness, caution. But fear? I must say, I'm a little disappointed."
Rio swallowed hard, her gaze falling on her wounded wrist. With a trembling voice full of pain, she said:
"If you're really who you claim to be, then you're a Chosen One. I ended up like this because of a Chosen One."
Valentina smirked, her turquoise eyes glinting in the fireplace's light. With a tone that seemed to hide a secret, she said:
"you afraid of me because I am a chosen one? But you who are more terrifying than me… Ice Dragon."